Chapter 3

Previously: Upon finding Ganon beneath Hyrule Castle, Zelda and Link decide to travel with the previously-a-zombie, now a hunk-of-super-hot-Gerudo ex-villain. Who may or may not also be the object of Link's current crush. Kakariko was a mistake which shall not be mentioned other than to say that Ganon finally got clothes! Yay for Ganon! (Aww for Link).

Zelda POV

Zelda had come to expect nightmares most nights, so it wasn't a surprise that as soon as they bedded down for the night off the path, she found herself in the grips of Malice once again. It started with her walking through the castle, Link behind her. She couldn't turn to look at him, but she could sense him, warm and comforting. Than the comfort evaporated as she saw purple and black tendrils reach out to her from the walls. Link's presence was gone and Zelda was filled with dread that something had happened to him. Maybe her current life freed from the Malice was just a dream and she was still in the castle with the horrid tendrils reaching for her, laughter that sounded like a twisted version of Ganon's voice reaching her ears as her breath became faster, more erratic-

Zelda started awake with a shout, sweat dripping down her brow and fumbling for her bow. There was a face above her and for just a second it seemed twisted with Malice still, a hand reaching towards her. She panicked.

"Do-don't touch me!" She all but screamed, voice hoarse from shouting in her sleep. She regretted it immediately, vision clearing to see Ganon's concerned face dawn with understanding as he took multiple steps away from her, hands splayed towards her to show he was unarmed. It so eerily similar to how he acted in Kakariko that she wanted to throw up for a moment.

"You were screaming so I thought to wake you. I'm sorry, I should've realised it would be better if Link did so," Ganon explained, gesturing to where she now noticed Link crouching near her, watching her in concern.

His brow furrowed. Okay? He signed.

Zelda let out a shaky breath. "I'm fine. I'm sorry Ganon, I was still in the nightmare. I've yelled at Link the same way after them, and he at me; it's not something you need to apologise for. I on the other hand need to apologise for waking you," She tried to smile at them reassuringly.

Ganon cautiously approached. "It's understandable. That you would both have nightmares. I'm-" he cut himself off before he could apologise, crouching at the fire and staring at the ground.

Link and Zelda shared a look. Hopefully the reason he wasn't apologising was because he understood they didn't hold him accountable, though Zelda wouldn't be holding her breath on that. Link reached out to pat his arm again hesitantly, to which Ganon glanced at him with a soft smile. Zelda was so exhausted she could only watch as Link's eye widened and he smiled shakily back, red running into his cheeks. Interesting, Zelda thought. This is a nice distraction from the nightmares.

"You both are too kind," Ganon mumbled, placing his hand on top of Links and returning his gaze to the fire. He completely missed seeing Link's face turn such a bright red it seemed like Zelda would see steam rising from his cheeks at any moment now. She tried to stifle a snicker, though from Link's glare she wasn't quite successful.

The next day they were all exhausted but there was a talk that needed to happen this morning before setting out. Zelda looked at Link and gestured at Ganon subtly; this would be better coming from him. He nodded, then approached Ganon where he was putting out the fire after breakfast.

We need to talk. Come sit? Link signed once Ganon looked at him, gesturing to where Zelda sat beside their bags. They made their way towards her and sat, a look of resigned trepidation on Ganon's face. Zelda sighed. This was what she'd been afraid of.

"There's no trouble or anything. Since you remembered your past, we thought maybe you could tell us where you would like to go?" Zelda enquired.

Ganon looked surprised, than confused. "I admit I had assumed we would head for Gerudo Town, where I would likely be placed on trial and executed." At that, Link startled so bad he nearly fell over, while Zelda stared in shock, whatever she'd been about to say lost. Wait. What?

Ganon sighed. "I do not know what your friend told you in the village which made you so angry, but I imagine thy would have told you that it is safest for everyone if I no longer existed. No one can know if the Malice will return to me and at least if I'm already gone the cycle will have to wait until a new male Gerudo can be born and come of age to start again. I will also face judgment for the crimes I've already committed, though I imagine I can never fully atone, especially not to you two."

Link shook his head fiercely in denial and Zelda opened her mouth to argue, but Ganon continued before she could. "You may not know this and maybe that is why you have both been so nice to me. But I remember everything. I remember being inside the beast's consciousness as it wrought such death and destruction, and I remember doing nothing to stop it. I didn't even try," Ganon spat, his face twisted with anger and self-hatred once again, so foreign looking on a face which had been so soft towards them. Zelda heart broke for him and Link's eyes were suspiciously glassy. Ganon took a deep breath. "I deserve to face punishment and I can only hope my death serves as a slight atonement towards you both. If you would allow it.." He hesitated, Link and Zelda still reeling. He seemed to gather the courage to look Zelda in the eyes, then Link. "I would like to travel with you until we reach Gerudo, so that I may help you both however I can until then." He looked so hopeful. Zelda finally found her voice though she struggled with finding the right words, just feeling she had to say something.

"I…Ganon, I can't begin to tell you have much that just isn't necessary. I, that is, we don't-" Zelda trailed off, not sure where to even start on what Ganon just said. They didn't blame him, wasn't that clear to him? Maybe he was twisting things in his head, convincing himself that they were just being polite or something. How to convince him though? Ganon started to look disappointment, mistaking Zelda's denial as denial of allowing him to travel with them.

Link clapped his hands, startling both of them into looking at him. Not your fault. No trial is necessary, but if you need to do this, we are happy to go with you. We like travelling with you too. No execution will happen, He finished signing with definitive gestures for the final sentence.

Ganon looked relieved. "Thank you. I won't get in your way. However the trial goes, I will accept the outcome, as you say." He obviously didn't believe Link about the outcome, and Zelda was not sure if they managed to resolve whether he believed them about not blaming him either. Link nodded and stood to continue packing up, apparently believing everything resolved. Zelda smiled reassuringly at Ganon, then got up to run after Link.

"Link!" She hissed. "We can't put him on trial in Gerudo, what if they-"

Link shook his head and raised his hands to cut her off. He needs this. We can tell him we don't blame him until doomsday, he won't believe it without action. Don't worry, I know Riju; she's reasonable and my friend. I will talk with her and convince her of Ganon's innocence in this. He grinned at Zelda confidently. Nothing will go wrong.

Zelda groaned and facepalmed. "You do remember what happened the last time you said that right?"

Link disappeared the supplies into his slate, walking back towards Ganon waiting at the edge of the clearing. He made a noise of offense. How was I supposed to know showing Purah how the Sheikah bombs worked would end up with half of Hateno on fire?

Link POV

Link felt pretty good about getting to travel again, since Kakariko went so wrong. He was so happy to be back in the wilds again. Zelda seemed to be as well, shoulders more relaxed since Link's reassurances about Gerudo Town. For the first couple of days, Ganon was quiet and unobtrusive, clearly trying to stay out of the way of Link and Zelda's easy banter and conversation. Slowly, they both tried to ease him into conversation and he started to hesitantly relax a little, responding to their easy smiles and even laughing when Zelda shoved a blushing Link directly into Ganon with a mischievous look in her eyes. Ganon caught him easily before he fell and Link forgot all about being mad at Zelda, distracted as he was staring at Ganon's face lit up with laughter.

Link shook himself out of it once Ganon set him back on his feet, shooting a glare at a still cackling Zelda. As attractive as Ganon may be, it was best he didn't realise Link's crush just yet. He obviously felt far too guilty about their shared past and Link did not want him to feel like he had to reciprocate feelings he may not share. Link remembered the awkward hopeless feeling he had when learning about Mipha's supposed crush on him, and when he feared Zelda felt that way about him! Goddess, the guilt had been crushing and he hadn't been a giant pig trying to murder them both.

Link stumbled to a stop for moment as Ganon and Zelda continued onwards chatting obliviously, a horrifying thought occurring to him. What if Ganon found out and faked reciprocating, just to "lay back and think of Hyrule" in some of kind of messed up penance?! Link could just imagine Ganon in front of him, eager to please, going down and- NO, nonono. No. Link smacked his burning cheeks, hoping to snap himself out of it. Gods, he thought to himself as he hurried to catch back up with others before they noticed his mini-crisis. Definitely best if Ganon doesn't find out. At least, not yet.

As they walked, Link found himself thinking about back when he first defeated the Calamity, when he and Zelda travelled together to spread news of its defeat. It was hard at first, conversation stilted and awkward, with her memories of a past him which didn't fit him anymore, and his uncertainty on how to act around a princess whom he may or may not have had romantic relations with before. He had been so afraid she had feelings for him, something which he can't help but laugh about now. He couldn't think how to begin to explain that he didn't, and couldn't, return any romantic inclinations towards him she may have had. Zelda finally snapped at him after his disastrous cold incident (he discovered he hated colds, he felt like dying from stuffed sinus') and they both got to vent about some things that had been playing on both their minds. There were many more incidences of venting over the days that followed, and when they finally reached their home in Hateno, they collapsed crying together into Link's bed, emotionally exhausted but finally beginning to heal. After that, things between them were as easy as breathing really. She was his best friend, now that they both stopped assuming the other person was someone they weren't. Maybe it will be the same with Ganon, Link thought, watching him replying to some query of Zelda, then Link got starstruck all over again when he laughed at something she responded with. Link shook his head to clear it and smacked his cheeks again, causing Zelda to jump and Ganon to look concerned. He waved them off. Maybe not exactly like with Zelda, if his heart had any say in it.

Ganon was acting strangely once they set up camp, any calm they'd managed to gain on the road vanishing in a rush of nervous energy. He jumped to do every task he could; though Link gently took the stirring ladle from him before he could attempt that again, which he sheepishly relinquished.

"Right. I'll get the firewood then!" He ran off towards a more distant wood since their camp was out in a field this time. Link and Zelda stared after him.

"But…" Zelda trailed off, standing with a bundle of firewood from the slate along with flint already. She looked towards Link, lost.

Link shrugged. Atonement. It's a full week to Gerudo, he'll calm down. They both turned to watch his rapidly retreating figure just hitting the far woods. I hope anyway, he signed once she looked back at him doubtfully.

Ganon did calm down. After three days of him constantly trying to do everything, he seemed to gather that Link and Zelda didn't want him to. Link was perfectly happy to let him do the firewood collecting; he would always get impatient and start using bombs, which Zelda always yelled at him for. But Zelda insisted they take turns doing everything except cooking since Link was the only one who was really any good. Unless they wanted to try living off Zelda's rice and Ganon's…gloopy thingy until the next stable. Link loved Zelda but he also loved meat, arguably just as much. They started rotating the chores again on the third day and added Ganon onto the watch since they trusted him more now and he seemed very happy to get the job. He accepted it solemnly, aware of the unsaid trust involved. Link offered to give him a weapon, which he vehemently refused.

"It's best if I don't have one, in case…" He trailed off uncomfortably, apparently still wary of Malice returning. Link shrugged and hefted the claymore back into his slate, unaware of Ganon's eyes following the movement of his muscles as he did. Link turned back to him just as Ganon cleared his throat and looked away, face flushed for some reason. Link cocked his head. Maybe he was getting sick? He grabbed Ganon's arm to pull him down to his height to test his temperature against his foreword. Zelda choked on a laugh behind them as Ganon stumbled and stared wide-eyed at Link, face full of red now.

Link frowned and pulled back from Ganon's forehead. Sick? He signed.

"No," Ganon choked out, voice higher pitched than normal. He cleared his throat. "No, I feel fine. If you'll excuse me." He all but ran out into the woods.

Link turned to looked at Zelda, mystified as to why she was doubled over with laughter. He shook his head at the mystery of it all and went to start cooking dinner. He was thinking hearty mushroom skewers would be nice, especially if Ganon was sick. And possibly Zelda too, he thought, eyeing her as she still struggled to catch her breath.

A/N: Sorry this is a day late! Hope you liked the chapter, and if so, please consider leaving a review! Also if you didn't, maybe tell me what could be improved either? Anyway, I can't respond directly to guest accounts, but to the guest who reviewed the previous two chapter, James Birdsong, thank you! Your reviews made me smile, and I hope you enjoy this chapter if you're reading this. Next chapter will have some action, so I hope you lads are ready.